I made a promise to myself to create more this year, and now at nearly 90%-ish (!?!?) of the way into 2017 I’m a little bit behind.  In part it’s because I was suppose to be writing. I was suppose to be writing a lot.  I had thousands of scientific words that were suppose to be constantly flowing out of me.  Manuscripts, literature reviews, abstracts, my… thesis.  Writing on spectral analysis, Nephrology, sodium receptors, recovery metrics, heat shock proteins.  I have not read a book for fun in about as long, because I’ve felt guilty… guilty that I was not reading scientific articles instead.  However, in recent months I’ve made some major life changes and I’m happy to be creating words once again.

After much deliberation, I think the best concise way to sum up the forward flailing that has been my 2017 season is through haikus.

-Drop-Out-
Things were very bad
I retired from grad school
yes you heard me right

-Hey Coach-
I got a new job
I will tell you what to do
please go run some more

-An Ode to Bowels-
For the Chuckanut
I spent more time in the ferns
then on the race course

-Practice-
Practice races, fun
pushing off my quads all day
goodbye first toenail

-Pulled off Course-
Transvulcania
got a shot in my bottom
so pretty, so sad

-Worlds-
Not the teams first choice
fought hard for the team I love
everything hurts now

-Lonely Long Runs-
1-2-0 mile week
solo miles in no-where
must carry bear spray

-Doubt-
I am so tired
100 miles is far
how can I do it?

-Leadville-
4am race start
Eating battle is the worst
how did I not die?

-Douche Grade-
SF you so mean
please chop off my left leg now
friends won’t let you quit

In essence… 2017 was hard.  I challenged myself to meet race goals that I knew would test my limits, races that were flatter, faster, and outside my comfort zone.  I made a huge life change by ultimately leaving my graduate program to find a future profession that I hope will be healthier, happier, and more satisfying.  2017 I’m glad you’re almost over, because I can not wait to embrace the new things coming down the road in 2018!

C